News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-04-14
FROM THE STAGE To THE PULPIT.
Frank II. Lucky, Once an Acton,
Now a Divinity Student, Tells His
Story,
CFrom the New Hwen News

(From the New H'ven News.)
Frank R. Lucky, an ex-actor, who
recently abandoned the stage to study
for the ministry, and is now a member
of the Yale theological school, told the
story of his life to an interested audi
ence at the city mission on Meadow
street.
"In the early years of my life, said
the speaker, ''the ideathat I would like
to enter the dramatic profession was
ever present to my mind. 1t was my
one great ambition to be an actor. My
idea of the stage was high one. L
thought I would restore the broken
image, restore the Stage to its lofty
place, and all 1 did was shaped to that
end. I went to university to educate
myself, and all my studies were followed
up with this object inview. I graduated
from the university IN 1882, and in the
fall I went upon the stage, playing at
the Grand Opera House in New York
After time it began 10 grow on me that
the surrounding Influences were Oper-
ating on me and weregradually pervert-
ing me, and this feeling continued to
grow on me. ] began to feel dislike
L didn't enjoy the lifeas [ had expected
to. 1 was brought Up in very moral
family atmosphere, md was never con-
taminated to great atent by evil infu-
ences of the stage. LIDO not intend to
discuss the morals of he stage here, as [
have not the time, nG could do them
justice. But they ae rotten. No man
can go ON the stage nd be pure. l am
not going deep into Ills thing now, but
it is fact. You cannt lead consistent
Christian life and b, member of the
dramatic profession. ~ could feel the
perverting influences of this life gradu-
ally insinuating Themselves into me. L
even got SO that / didn't mind going into
barrooms, for actors spend most of their
time in barrOoms
81 did not leave the stage because |
was a failure. No, | put all my soul
into my stage work, as [ would into the
ministry or into anything l undertake,
and rose step by step in my profession
until I became stage manager OF one OF
the best companies in the country. But
this is how I came to give it up. One
night while I was playing in the Union
Square Theatre [ went home to bed.
[ was in good health, and there was
nothing the matter with my digestion.
Well, went to sleep and slept soundly.
But in the middle of the night l was
awakened by the voice of God saying to
me: IF you should die tonight what
would become of your soul" L answer
ed, Lost and then / went to sleep
again. 1t was no dream, though you, II
you We're there, might not have heard
the voice. I heard it and knew it was
the voice of God. / sat up in bed,
and know that / wasawake. This voice
kept coming to me day after day, and
night after night, until I couldn't get
away from it. It pursued me like a
Nemesis, and I had to find an answer.
Finally [ said to myself that by the
grace of God, after / come back with the
company, I will never set my foot on the
stage again. l was poor man. L had
not saved any money. Actors are great
spendthrifts, and are said to be very
charitable, but it is the wrong kind OF
charity. It is that that gives without
sense or discrimination.
'But [ knew the Lord would take care
of me. And the next week had a letter
from home, telling how a friend of my
fathers, in inquiring about me and hear
ing that I, like other actors, would not
be busy during the summer, offered me
place at Nantasket Beach. While
there [ had but little to do but commune
with God, and this communion shaped
my life. Then wrote to President
Dwight, and, as fortunately had col
legiate education, [ came to the theo-
logical school. While searching among
my papers the other day I found an old
chronological chart. 1 do not believe
altogether in phrenology, although there
is much in it think worthy of attention.
When I was 16 years old had my head
examined, and tie phrenologist said to
me: Your places in the ministry At
that timeI had lsE thought of the min
istry my whole afnbition tended toward
the stage. Novt isn't that curious
coincidence, if it 5 a coincidence? That
is my story. [ told it only for the les
son that can be drawn from it.
GIN forming my plans 1 didn't take
God into consideration or l could not
have gone on the stage. l want to bring
out the fact that character is born from
the choice of good or bad aim. The
evil elements of the stage were forming
for me wrong character from wrong
choice"